Where Are the Advisors?

There are days when I wish I had some special insight into goings-on in Iraqwhat might be done, whether or not it's all going to turn out okaybut most days it's difficult to read the news and do anything other than echo Juan Cole's line: "Sometimes you are just screwed." Meanwhile, in more good news, Eric Umansky notices that the new Iraqi government is laying off workersalways a good way to add a few disgruntled unemployed Iraqis to the ranks of the insurgencyand is, ah, a tad behind in paying its special forces units. Also a bit of a problem.

Now I know that Iraq is supposed to be a sort-of kind-of sovereign country, and make decisions on its own, but aren't there supposed to be American advisors around trying to warn against this sort of thing? No, apparently not; there hasn't been an ambassador in Baghdad for six months. Of course, let's not accuse the Bush administration of being slow on the draw. On matters of real urgencylike appointing an Ayn Rand acolyte to the SECthe White House has no problem racing through the nomination process.